Voting-machine.



No. 692,976. Patented Fe-b. Il, |902.

F. M. BORING &. L. P. CHITWOUD.-

Nonna MACHINE.

(Application lgd Feb. 13, .1901.)

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TME Moms PrrEns-co.; Punmuvno.. WAANINGTON, D c.

. Patented Feb. ||,.|9o2.' F. panama a. L. P. cHlTwouD.

VOTING MACHINE. (Applicmon med Feb. 1a, 1901.)

6 Sheets-Shaet 2.

No. 692,976. i Patented Feb. Il, |902. F. M. Bumm; Ye. L. P. cH'lTwouVOTING MAcH|NE. (Appliction tiled Feb. 13, 1901.) (un Model.) ss'hkmtsrsheet3.

M t me m THE NDRRIS PETERS CO., FHOTO-UTNO., WASHINGTON, D. 24

Patented Feb. Il, I932. F. M. BORING L. P. CHITWUOD.

VOTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 18, 1901.)

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No. l692,976. Patented Feb. u, |902.

F. M. somma L; P.- cHlTwnon.

` voms MAcHmE.

' (Application med Feb. 13, 1901.) (No Model.) I 6 Shaats-Sheet s.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. BORING ANDy LEONARD P. CHITWOOD, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TOLEOPOLD RAUH, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

VOTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,976, dated. February11, 1902.

Application filed February 13,1901. Serial No. 47,098. (No inodelf.I

To all whom itv may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK M. BORING and LEONARD P. OHITWOOD,citizensofthe United States, residing at Dayton, inl the county of Montgomeryand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVoting-Machines, of which the following is a full, f

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification.

Our improvements relate to means for registering the selection by votersof various candidates to be elected at vany election, especially underwhat is known as the Australianballot system, in which the ticketcontaining the names of all of the candidates is presented to the voter.

The improvements consist of a certain novel construction and arrangementof parts, to be hereinafter particularly pointed out and claimed,whereby the various requisites required by the laws of the differentStates relating to the method of voting and the secreoy of the selectionto b e made by the voter are complied withand in which provision is madefor voting what are known as straight party-tickets, for the selectionof individual names from any of the party-tickets, for voting forcandidateswhose names do not appear on the regular party-tickets, andfor the eX- clusion of any voting for certain of the candidates whenthere are more than one class of voters who must use the machine andcertain of the voters'V are not permitted to vote for certain of thecandidates. Provision 'is also made to prevent voting for morethan onecandidate for a single office when only one is to be selected and topermit voting fora plurality of candidates when a plurality of names areto be selected, and to permit this plural selection, no matter how thenames may be selected, whether all in the same horizontal or verticalline orscattered throughout the group of candidates. Provision is alsomade for the machine when not in use being at all times open to theinspection of the election ofiicers, but when so open locked against anyoperation, and so that as the voter enters the voting-booth and isconcealed from view the apparatus is unlocked, and as he leaves thebooth the operating mechanism is actuated toautomatically count andregister the nal selection of candidates by the voter, this registrationand counting only taking place as the voter withdraws from the booth, sothat he cannot change his selections until he is satisfied with hischoice.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improvedvoting-machine' as open to the election officers. Fig. 2 is a top planview of same with the booth closed and the machine in operativecondition. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a portion of the machine withthe doorinclosing the counters removed. Fig. 4 is a cross-section ofsame on the lines 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail of the pushbar usedin connection with the irregular voting. Fig. 6 is a rearview of aportion of the sliding plate which carries the voting levers or keys.Fig. 7 is a top plan view of same. Fig. S is a front View of one of thestop-bars or sliding blocks. Fig. 9 is a cross-section of a portion ofthe machine, showing the counters and the keys in the position beforethe voter entersthe booth. Fig. 10 is a detail rear elevation of samewith the counters removed. Fig. ll'is a perspective view of one of thevoting levers or keys. Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively rear and sideViews of the straight-ticket bar. Figs. 14, 15, and 16 are detail viewsof the plates for holding the namesA of candidates. Fig. 17 is a rearelevation of the exclusion-plate. Fig. 1S is a detail of the cancellingdevice for the independent voting. Fig. 19 is a detail of the generalexclusion-bar.

The voting-machine proper is mounted in a substantial framework A,provided with substantial feet B at the bottom to support the operatingmechanism.

As already' stated, the machine is designed to present to the Voter thenames of all of the candidates, which are arranged in suitable verticalrows, there being as many rows as there are tickets. In the deviceillustrated We have shown provision for seven diierentticketsofsomefortynameseach. Ofcourseas many more tickets and as manymore names can be added in the construction of the machine as desired.

The operating mechanism is mounted on a flat platev C, extending theentire width and length ofthe machine and secured in any suitable way tothe framework. Mounted to slide horizontally in any suitable way on thisfixed plate C is a slidingplate D. The method we prefer of mounting thissliding plate on the fixed plate is by forming horizontal slots a ofsuitable length in the fixed plate and providing grooved rollers b,secured to the sliding plate at the four corners to run in these slotsback and forth.

E represents the voting levers or keys, one provided for each candidateon the ticket. These Voting-levers, a perspective view of one of whichis shown in Fig. 1l, are bent to form a iiat shank c, with front andrear plates CZ e and finger-platef, by means of which the voting-leversare pulled down, as hereinafter described, by the voter, and a rear armg. For the purpose of conveniently mounting the names of the candidateson these voting-levers we provide as shown in Figs. 14, l5, and 1G,

h is a small plate with a central rectangular opening to carry behind ita printed slip with.

the 4name of the candidate thereon, and this plate h is secured to thefront plate d of the voting-lever by the screw z'. 7a is a back plate tohold the printed slip formed with the slot Z to fit over the edge oftheshank c of the lever. The space between these two plates holds theprinted slip, and the turned-under edge of the plate 71, is serrated, sothat the printed slip cannot be withdrawn without tearing it.

The voting-levers E are mounted on the sliding plate D with the flatshanks c of the levers passing through the slots m in the sliding plate.These slots m are made of suflicient width and length to allow for themovement of the voting-levers, as hereinafter described. Mounted on therear of the sliding plate by the screws n., passing through the slots o,are a series of stop-bars F. These stop-bars are provided with thebeveled slots p and 0' at each end, the slot r bcing provided at itsinner end with a curved shoulder s. These stop-bars F are arrangedhorizontally across the machine, with the slot p in one bar overlappingthe slot r in the next succeeding bar and the Shanks c of thevoting-levers passing through the openings between each of theoverlapping stop-bars. The outer stop-bars in each line abut up againstscrewstt on the sliding plate D, and the arrangement is such that ineach line there is space for the partial rotation of one of thevoting-levers. The edge of the shank portion of the voting-lever whenthe lever is pulled down bears against the shoulder s on the stop-barandpushes the bar over until the voting-lever rests in the notch below theshoulder s. As we have stated, these stop-bars are so arranged thatthere is just room between the end screws t t for the rotation of one ofthe voting-levers. In this way the voter having pulled down one of thelevers in a horizontal line cannot operate any of the otherlevers inthatline. Coiled springs G, attached between the stop-bars F and thesliding plate D, hold these bars together and hold the voting-levers inhorizontal position. It frequently happens, however, that there are aplurality of candidates to be selected for a certain particular office,and provision must be made to permit the voter to select his candidatesfrom any place they may happen to be on the list. For example, where aplurality of names are to be selected he may wish to vote names thatappear in the same horizontal line on a plurality of the lists, andordinarily the stop-bars F would prevent such a selection. In order toovercome this difficulty, we connect the alternate ends of the rearseries of stop-bars by the slotted links H, and we pivot these links attheir middle points to the bars L, which rest between the side edges ofthe stop-bars, at the ends, and are guided by the pins and slots u. Thismere coupling together of the horizontal series of stop-bars does not initself effect the operation of the stops, the screws t t at the ends ofthe stop-bars allowing` room for the operation of one voting-lever, andonly one. When it is desired to select two candidates for a particularoffice, we remove the screwt at the end of the first row and at thebeginning of the second row, and at the same time we secure the bar L,by means of a pin, in a suitable opening in the sliding plate D. lViththis construction the voter can now operate two voting-levers in asingle horizontal line, and when he does this, so as to fill out the twospaces in that line, the link H will carry back the next row ofstop-bars the two spaces, and hence prevent any operation of thevoting-levers in the second row. If the voter selects only one name inone row, there will be space for him to select the other name in thesecond row. When three candidates are to be selected, all theintermediate stopscrewst are removed except the one at the beginning ofthe first row and the end ofthe third row, and three of the horizontalseries of stop-bars are secured together by fixing the bars L in theproper position on the plate D, and so on for as many candidates asthere are to be selected for any particular office.

Mounted vertically on the rear of the sliding plate D, one for eachticket, are a series of straight-ticket bars M. These straightticketbars are secured to the sliding plate by two bolts y at top and bottom,the lheads of the bolts passing through vertical slots in the slidingplate, and the upper end of these straight-ticket bars carry the hooksN, by means of which these bars may be drawn down within the limits ofthe slots, while the bars are normally held up by the spring tu,attached between the straight-ticket bar and the sliding plate. Thesestraight-ticket bars are provided with a series of rectangular openingsct', one for each name on the particular list, and the arms g of cachvoting-lever pass through` these rectangular openings, so that it willbe evident that by pulling down any particular straight-ticket bar allof the voting-levers in that particular vertical list IOO IIO

v by the spring w, the rectangular openings cev down each particularlever in the verticalV row. When any one of these straight-ticket barsare pulled down, all of the other straightticket bars are prevented fromoperating by the stop-bars, as heretofore described, for the operationof any particular voting-lever in a horizontal line. Thestraight-ticket'bar after operation is returned to its normal positionbeing of a size to permit this movement,while the shanks ofthevoting-levers, catching behind the shoulders s, formed 'on thestop-bars,

hold the voting-levers down until released, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

It will be understood from the description so,

far that the individual voting-levers, straightticket levers, and thestop-bars are thus all mounted on the sliding plate D and will move withit, as hereinafter described.'

The fixed plate C is provided with a series of cam-openings P, one foreach voting-lever. These cam-openings are provided with a narrowslot b',through which the arm g of the voting-levers are inserted, the positionof the voting-levers with relation to the Xed plate being as shown inFigs. 9 and 10, when the voting-machine is in its normal locked positionbefore the voter enters the booth. this position, with the ends of allthe votinglevers confined in the-narrow slot in the camopenings P in thefixed plate C, all of the voting-levers will be locked from anyoperation. When the sliding plate, however, is

moved laterally by any convenient means asy the voter enters the booth,the sliding plate will carrythe voting-levers into the position shown inFigs. 3 and 4 at the other end ofv the cam-openings P, so that when inthat position any of the voting-levers can be operated or pulled downwithin the limits provided by the stop-bars heretofore described. Themethod we have killustrated of shifting this sliding plate to unlock thevoting-levers is more particularly shown in Figs. l and 2.

R S are rodspivoted on top of the framework A of the machine at c d.Pivoted to the ends of these two" rods S R and connecting them togetheris another rod T. Curtains are suspended from the rods S and T, whilethere is secured a permanent end screen U underneath the rod R. It willbe understood that these curtains, togetherwith the end screen U, willform a voting-.booth within which the voter will be entirely concealedfrom the election officers. Goiled springs are mounted at the pivotalpoints of the rods R and S at c/ and d', vwhose tendency is to normallyhold this framework in the position shown in Fig. l, with the screensdepending from the rods S T folded together to the right of the machine.Secured toa suitable bracket depending from the front screen-rod T is ahook f', and the voter approaching the voting-machine takes this hookandpulling out the screens secures the hook over the outer edge of the endscreen U, as shownin Fig. 2,

thus inclosing himself and the voting-machine behind the screens. Thesliding plate (D is coupled by a link A to the screen-rod S, and as thevoter thus opens out the screens the sliding plate D is shifted to theleft. This shifting of the plate carries all that is attached to it tothe left and with it carries the voting-levers to the wide end of theslots P in the fixed plate D. In this position the voting-levers areinposition to be actuated.

Secured to the rear surface of the vfixed plate C in close proximity tothe narrow end of the slots P, one for each slot and votinglever, are aseries of counters B for registering the operations of the voting-leversand the selection of the various candidates. Any of the well-known formsof counters can be used for this purpose andywe have not illustrated theparticular kind of counter, as these counters form no part of ourinvention. These counters each have a lever-arm g', which engage in asuitable slot in the ends ofthe actuating-levers E', which are pivotedat h to the fixed plate C. These actuating-levers E are provided with awing t', which is bent over and formed with a beveled lower edge 1l",and these levers are held by suitable springs -withv the beveled edge ofthis wing portion extending a short distance across the lower end of thecam-surface of the slots P. When the voter leaves the voting-booth andthe voting-screen is thrown to the right, as above described, theconnecting-'link A draws the sliding plateto the right and brings theends of all such voting-levers as may have been actuated against thebeveled edge of the shoulders on the actuating-levers E. This movementraises up these levers and the movement is registered on the counter.The further movement of the slidingplate carries the ends of thekey-levers up into the narrow portion b of the slots P, and theactuatinglevers' E are returnedn by their respective springs to theirnormal position as soon as the ends g of the key-levers are beyond thewing portion of the actuating-levers E.

It frequently happens at anyparticular electionr a certain class ofVoters are not permitted to vote for certain of the candidates.

Especially is this true in those States where a limited suffrage hasbeen granted to women. In order, therefore, that the election officersmay prevent voting for certain of the candidates when desired, weprovide a supple- ,mental series of levers arranged in a vertical ICCIIO

cam-slots P and are provided with two narrow slots Z' and m'. Vith thisconstruction when the sliding plate is in the position open to theelection officers these exclusion-keys can be operated or pulled down.Thus if the election officers desire, as occasion may require, toinclude or restrictcertain voters from balloting for nominees to certainoffices the corresponding exclusion key-lever is pulled down, lockingthe entire horizontal row of names. Now when the booth is closed and thesliding plate moved laterally the end of these keys will be carriedwithin the lower slot m', and they cannot be moved so long as the voteris in the booth, while this actuation of the exclusion-keys by theelection officers will have so moved the stop-bars F as to preventany'voting in the particular lines sought to be excluded.

'n' is a small dat spring which extends down across the slot G' to guideback the end of the exclusion key-lever to its normal position whenthesliding plate returns toits normal position with the closing of thebooth. If

Vnone of the exclusion key-levers have been operated, the movement ofthe sliding plate when the voter enters the booth carries the end of thelever into the upper slot Z', so that the voter cannot actuate them. Asit frequently happens that there are only two classes of voters at theelection, so that the same names will have to be excluded every time oneof the excluded class desires to Vote, in addition to the individualexclusion keylevers we provide a general exclusion-bar I-I', which ismounted and operated in the same way as the straight-ticketbars, exceptthat the rectangular openings through which the ends of theexclusion-keys pass are formed by the removable bars s'. Prior to theholding of an election such number of the bars s' may be removed by theproper authorities to conform to the tickets in nomination and theelection laws, so that by one operation by the election officer onlysuch exclusion or restricting keylevers are actuated as are restrictivein conformity with the occasion.

In order to permit independent votingthat is, to allow the voter to votefor candidates Whose names are not on any of the tickets-we provide asfollows:

On .the right of the voting-machine frame,` inclosed in a suitable case,we mount, verti- Vcut away to. leave rectangular openings et" for eachhorizontal line of candidates to permit the voter, if he chooses, towrite the name of his choice on the strip of paper. These openings ct"for the individual voting are normally closed by the door P', pivoted atthe top and bottom of the case and held shut by the spring b". Mountedon top of the pivot-rod c" of this door P' is a notched disk LZ". Thearm of this disk is coupled by the connecting-link p' with the cam-wheelr', mounted on top of the casing on a suitable piyotpin. The cam-wheelr' contacts with the outer end of the rack R', pivoted to the upper edgeof the sliding plate D. The journal of the storage-roll N' at its upperend carries, mounted thereon, the gear S','which meshes with the pinionT', mounted on top of the casting in close proximity to the rack R'. Therack R' is no'imally held out of engagement with the pinion T' by thesmall spring c".

f" is a dog held by'a spring in engagement with the notched disk rl",with its outer end in contact with the bell-crank lever g", whichbell-crank lever is in turn connected by the slotted link 71" with thebooth-rod S.

Now when the voter desires to vote an independent ticket he opens thedoor P', so that he can write the names in the proper spaces on the webof paper from the roll L'. When the door is opened wide enough to allowaccess to this web of paper, the rotation of the notched disk d" bringsthe notch thereon into engagement with the dog f' and locks the dooropen. This movement of the disk d" rotates the cam 7" and throws therack R' into engagement with the pinion 'll'. As the voter leaves thebooth, as heretofore described, the sliding plate D is moved to theright andthe rack R' revolves, by the gearing S' and T', thestorage-roll N' to wind up the web ofpaper with the written namesthereon. As the booth-rod S is carried around to the right, asheretofore described, the pin on the upper edge of the rod S whichengages the slot in the link 7i" reaches the end of this slot, rotatesthe bellcrank lever g", which in turn throws the dog f" out ofengagement with the notch in the disk d", and the door P' is thrown shutby the action of the coiled spring b".

In order to prevent the Voter after he has voted for independent nameson the web of paper from the roll L' from afterward voting for some ofthe regular candidates for the particular office, or rather to cancelhis independent choice should 11e afterward conclude to vote for any ofthe regular candidates, we provide as follows:

W' represents a series of sliding bars extending horizontally across thevoting-ma chine, one for each horizontal list of candidates, andprovided with the lugs Z", the bars being so mounted that these lugs Z"will extend across the lower edge of the cam-slots P in the plate C. Theends of these bars lV' nearest the storage-roll N' carry the cancelingdevices fm", whichare preferably serrated rollers or ink-rollers mountedon arms n", secured to the bars W' by the pins p". The pins p" aremounted in slots r" in the arms n" and bar l/V and they are normallyheld to the right by the springs". The canceling devices m" are locatedbut a short distance from the roll O", over which the web of paper fromthe roll L' passes, and if the voter,

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in addition to writing the names on the web of paper, votes for anothercandidate in that horizontal. line the end of the key-lever g when thesliding plate D is actuated, as'heretofore described, will contact withthe lug Z" and shift the particular bar or bars W to the left, carryingthe canceling devices m" in such line against the web of paper. Thecanceling device is mounted in the manner heretofore described, as shownin Fig. 18, in order that the canceling device shall at once come incontact with the web of paper and beheld there under the movement of thebar W know at once what ballots cast for the independent candidate shallbe counted.

'1"' is a 'spring which normally holds the various bars W to the leftout of contact with the web of paper.

In order to prevent access to the working parts by anyone except thoseduly authorized, the back of the case is inclosed by a cover or door B.This door pre-ferably has locks at the top and the bottom, so thatseparate election officers may retain the respective keys, and the doorcan only be openedby the use of both keys. Before the election commencesthe machine is duly inspected by the election officers and all thecounters are set to zero. The door B is then locked and any access tothe mechanism is prevented until the close of the election, and the doorisagain opened by the judges and the result as indicated by the countersduly entered in the records of the election, as provided for by the law.

Having thus described ourinvcntion, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, isd 1. In a voting-machine, a plurality ofvoting-levers, a sliding plate upon which said levers are mounted, a xedplate provided with a plurality of slots through which the ends of saidlevers project, a series of registeringcounters mounted on said fixedplate, and actuating-levers therefor pivoted to the lixed plate andextending over said slots, whereby the movement of the sliding plate inone direction will cause all the operated voting-le vers to contact withtheir respective actuatin g-levers to register the operation,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a voting-machine, aplurality of voting-levers, a sliding plateupon which said levers are mounted, a xed plate provided with aplurality of cam-slots contracted at one end, through the contractedends of which said levers project to lock same from operation, means forsliding-said plate to unlock the voting-levers, registering mechanismextending over the lower edge of said cam-slots and camsurface therefor,to register the operated voting-levers and return same to their normalposition upon the return movement of said sliding-plate, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. In a voting-machine, a plurality of vot- In this way the electionofficers can ing-levers, with flat shanks, and a series of slidingblocks between the abutting ends of which the flat Shanks of thevoting-levers pass, with stops to limit the movement of the slidingblocks and prevent the operation of more than one voting-lever at atime, and shoulders on one of the abutting ends of said sliding blocksto retain the operated lever until positively released, substantially asshown and described.

4. In a voting-machine, a plurality of pivoted voting-levers arrangedyin rows and provided with Iiat shanks, a plate upon which saidvoting-levers are mounted, a series of interfering -blocks incorresponding rows mounted on said plate, with the iat shanks of thevoting-levers inserted between the abutting ends of said blocks, meansfor uniting a plurality of rows of interfering-blocks in series, andstops at the beginning and at the end of said united series to limit themovement of said blocks as a whole, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. In a voting-machine, a plurality of pivoted Voting-levers arranged inrows and provided with fiat shanks, a plate upon which saidvoting-levers are mounted, a series of interfering blocks incorresponding rows mounted on said plate, with the dat shanks of thevoting-levers inserted between the abutting ends of said blocks, linkscoupling together the alternate ends of said rows of blocks, stops forlimiting the movement of the blocks, and means for pivoting said linksto the said plate, whereby the movement of one row of blocks will betransferred to the successive rows coupled by the links, substantiallyas shown and described.

6. In a voting-machine, the combination, with voting-levers and asliding plate upon which said leversare mounted, of a folding framework,to form a booth when opened out, and connecting mechanism between saidbooth and sliding plate, whereby the movement of the booth-frame willactuate said sliding plate, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a voting-machine, the combination, will a roll of paper, and meansfor propelling the strip of paper therefrom, a plurality ofvoting-levers, a sliding'plate upon which said voting-levers aremounted, a closing device for preventing access to said paper-roll, andmechanism intermediate said sliding plate and closing device, wherebywhen said closing device is released, said paper strip shall bepropelled from the roll with the movement of the sliding plate,substantially as shown and described.

8. In a Voting-machine, the combination, with'a roll of paper, and meansfor propelling the strip of paper therefrom', a plurality ofvoting-levers, a sliding plate upon which said voting-levers aremounted, a door for preventing access to said paper roll, and mechanismintermediate said sliding plate and door, whereby when said-door isopen, said paper ICO IIO

strip shall be propelled from the roll with the movement of the slidingplate, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a voting-machine, the combination, with a roll of paper, and meansfor propelling the strip of paper therefrom, voting mechanism forindicating and registering the selection ot' candidates, and a cancelingdevice arranged to impinge on said paper strip, and means for actuatingsaid Voting mechanism and canceling device simultaneously, whereby anyselection of candidates by the votinglevers will cancel the name of anycandidate for the same ofce written on said strip of paper,substantially as shown and described.

l0. In a voting-machine, the combination, with a roll of paper, andmeans for propelling the slip of paper therefrom, a plurality ofvoting-levers, a sliding plate upon which said voting-levers aremounted, canceling-bars, one for each list of candidates for the sameofiice, mounted on said sliding plate, whereby said canceling-bars maybe made to impinge on said paper strip, substantially as shown anddescribed.

ll. In a voting-machine, the combination, with a roll ot paper, meansfor propelling the strip of paper therefrom, of a plurality of pivotedlevers, a sliding plate upon which said levers are mounted, a pluralityof sliding canceling-bars, one for each series of voting-levers forcandidates for the same ofiice, with lugs on said canceling-barsprojected into the pathway of said voting-levers, when same areactuated, and means for sliding said plate, whereby the canceling-barsin the pathway of said actuated voting-levers may be caused to impingeon said paper strip, substantially as shown and described.

12. In a voting-machine, the combination, with a roll of paper,writing-tablet, and storage-roll, a plurality of Voting-levers, asliding 'plate upon which said votinglevers are mounted, a door toprevent access to said writing-tablet, gear on said storage-roll, andrackbar pivoted to said sliding plate, normally out of contact with saidgear, connecting mechanism between said door and rack-bar, whereby whensaid door is open, said rack-bar may be brought into connection withsaid gear for the actuation of same with the movement ot` the slidingplate, substantially as shown and described.

13. In a voting-machine, the combination,

with a roll ot` paper, writing-tablet, and storage-roll, a plurality ofvoting-levers, a sliding plate upon which said voting-levers aremounted, a door to prevent access to said writing-tablet, gear on saidstorage-roll, and rack-bar pivoted to said sliding plate, normally outof contact with said gear, connecting mechanism between said door andrackbar, whereby when said door is open, said rack-bar may be broughtinto connection with said gear for the actuation of same with themovement of the sliding plate, dog to hold said door open, and means forreleasing said dog to allow the door to close as the sliding plateapproaches-the limit of its movement, substantially as shown anddescribed.

14E. In a voting-machine, a plurality of voting-levers, a sliding plateupon which said levers are mounted, a plurality of supplemental leverssimilarly mounted, and a series of sliding blocks between the abuttingedges of which said voting and supplemental levers pass, with stops tolimit the movement of the blocks, a fixed plate with slotted openingstherein, having two contracted portions at top and bottom, through whichslots the ends of the supplemental levers pass, and a movable barprovided with slots corresponding to the number of said supplementallevers, through which said levers pass, the crossbars forming said slotsbeing removable, whereby with the actuation of said movable bar, anynumber of said supplemental levers maybe actuated as desired,simultaneously, substantially as shown and described.

l5. In a voting-machine, a plurality of voting-levers, a sliding plateupon which said levers are mounted, a plurality of supplemental levers,similarly mounted, and a series of sliding blocks between the abuttingedges of which said voting and supplemental levers pass, with stops tolimit the movement of the blocks, a iixed plate, with slotted openingstherein, having two contracted portions at top and bottom through whichslots the ends of the supplemental levers pass,whereby said supplementallevers shall be locked when the voting-levers are unlocked,substantially as shown and described.

FRANK M. BORING. LEONARD P. CHITXVOOD. IVitnesses:

ROBERT P. HARGITT, GEO. B. WEIDLER.

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